New 50-State Data Shows Steep Drops in Affordable Care Act Enrollment

States across the country saw steep drops in the number of people covered by the Affordable Care Act over the past year, with Ohio and Oklahoma each losing nearly one-third of enrollees, according to new federal data that provides the first complete 50-state breakdown of sharp enrollment declines following the January expiration of enhanced subsidies. The data, posted in late June by the Trump administration and first reported on by The Associated Press, reveals how changes in each state’s insured population led to around 2.6 million fewer Americans having Obamacare plans in February compared with the same time last year.

Ohio Children Unable to Access Mental Healthcare Because of Insurance, Costs, and Lack of Providers

Costs, provider availability, and health insurance limitations were the top reasons Ohio children were not able to access mental healthcare, according to a recent study from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.

Nearly half said unaccepted health insurance was the reason their child did not receive mental healthcare treatment while 40% said provider availability and 29% said cost (people surveyed could select more than one barrier).

Just under half of Ohio children were on Medicaid and 46% had commercial insurance in 2023. Health Policy Institute of Ohio found commercial plans rarely cover therapeutic behavioral health support, case management, intensive home-based treatment, behavioral health nursing, crisis services/mobile response, and peer recovery services. “One of the most important takeaways from this brief is unlike traditional physical health care, it tends to be that insurance problems are more substantial for kids who are on commercial insurance compared to a program like Medicaid,” said Health Policy Institute of Ohio Analyst Brian O’Rourke. The state has a lack of mental health providers and 75 Ohio counties are mental health shortage areas, according to a study last year from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.

Ohio behavioral health clinicians are reimbursed an average of 18% less than medical or surgical clinicians, which can “lead some providers to not accept insurance and instead require patients to self-pay, which is out of reach for many families,” according to the study.

Sometimes having a health insurance plan is not always enough.

Upcoming Event: Prevention Innovation and Evaluation Exchange - August 13

Do you have a "homegrown" prevention or early intervention program that is making a difference in your community? Are you looking for the data to prove it works?

Join The Ohio State University’s Ohio Education Research Center (OERC) and College of Social Work on August 13 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM at The Ohio State University’s Ohio Union for a Prevention Innovation and Evaluation Exchange convening. This free event is specifically designed to pair prevention professionals and community practitioners with expert researchers and evaluators. Together, you will build partnerships to support program evaluation, formal documentation, and the data collection necessary to position your program for inclusion in a future Ohio-based registry of effective prevention and early intervention programs. Mileage reimbursement for attendees will be available.

Ahead of the August convening, join us on July 16 at 1:00 PM ET for a free companion webinar, Driving Prevention Success: Navigating Evidence-Based Criteria and Registries. This interactive session will explore how evidence-based strategies are defined, review national registries, and offer 1.25 free CE hours for prevention professionals. Questions? Contact [email protected].

RecoveryRachelOhio.org Launches: Strengthening Ohio's Path to Care

RecoveryRachel is live, marking a major advancement in how Ohioans connect to mental health and substance use treatment.

This first-of-its-kind platform provides a single, trusted entry point to licensed and certified treatment providers across Ohio. RecoveryRachel brings accurate, up-to-date information into one easy-to-use search experience. Ohioans can explore services, refine results based on specific needs, and connect to care more quickly, anonymously, and at no cost.

The launch reflects Ohio's ongoing commitment to strengthening behavioral health access under Governor Mike DeWine's leadership. RecoveryRachel builds on that commitment by ensuring that when someone is ready to seek help, a clear starting point is available.

Designed as an evolving platform, RecoveryRachel enables providers to maintain and update their information, so the system remains current, reliable, and responsive to Ohioans' needs.

If your organization is listed in RecoveryRachel and you have not yet verified your profile, follow these easy steps:

1. Visit RecoveryRachelOhio.org
2. Click Sign In (upper right corner)
3. Log in with your OHID
4. Review and verify your profile (Step-by-step instructions).

Finding help should not be complicated. RecoveryRachel is here to make it easier. Visit RecoveryRachelOhio.org today.